Category: Marketing
The Inventory Engine Workshop – Part 1
I used to run my stores on gut feel. And this is Part 1 of a three-part series on exactly why that was costing me and what I did about it. And honestly? My gut was pretty good. Years of experience, thousands of buying decisions, a real sense of what my customers wanted. I trusted...
Categories: Inventory Management
Showing Up When the World Feels Hard with Lauren McKeague
Right now, things are complicated. That’s not dramatic. That’s just honest. And if you’re a store owner trying to figure out how to show up for your customers, your team, and yourself in the middle of all of it, this one is for you. I recently sat down with Lauren McKeague, founder of Pink Slip...
Categories: Inspiration
Tariff Refunds Explained: What It Actually Means for Your Store
If you’ve been online this week, you’ve probably seen something about refunds. And I’m guessing one of two things happened. Either your eyes glazed over because it sounded like a government bureaucracy you don’t have time for or you got a little excited thinking maybe a check was headed your way. Or maybe and I’m...
Categories: Inventory Management
The Retail Wealth Masterclass: How Richer Retailers Turn Profit Into Personal Wealth with Kaitlyn Carlson – Part 2
You’re showing up every single day. You’re buying, selling, serving, growing. Revenue is coming in. And yet, when it comes to building real wealth something still feels off. You’re not getting ahead. Not really. If that hits close to home, I need you to keep reading. Because in my latest conversation with my personal financial...
Categories: Finances
The Retail Wealth Masterclass: Why Your Store Isn’t Making You Wealthy (Yet) – Part 1
I’m going to say something that might sting a little. You could be running a successful store, real revenue, real customers, real growth and still, somehow, have absolutely nothing to show for it financially. It’s not because you’re doing something wrong. It’s not because you’re not working hard enough. It’s because nobody ever sat you...
Categories: Finances
Why Every Retail Business Owner Needs a Business Bestie
Let me ask you something honest. When was the last time you really talked to someone about what’s going on in your retail business? Not a quick vent to your spouse. Not a surface-level chat at a networking event where everyone’s wearing their best face. I mean a real, raw, take-off-your-makeup-and-throw-away-the-bra kind of conversation. If...
Categories: Mindset
Clarity Converts | State of Retail: Q2 2026
Can you believe we’re already in Q2? For me, this quarter always means seasonal candy, Easter candy, to be exact. I’m a big fan of the OG conversation hearts, yellow and pink Peeps, and those little marshmallow chicks. But okay, let’s get to why I’m really here: Q2 is where strategy either sharpens or drifts....
Categories: State of Retail
What the Current Oil Volatility Actually Means for Retailers
You might have heard the headlines: the Strait of Hormuz is in turmoil following a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, causing massive disruptions in global oil traffic. Right now, we’re seeing a 90% drop in shipping through this key route, and the ripple effects are hitting oil markets hard. You might be thinking, “Cathy… what does...
Categories: Cash Flow Management
The AI-Powered Gift Guide Strategy Every Retailer Should Know
Retail visibility isn’t just about ads or social media, it’s about being recommended and discovered in the right places. And one of the most underutilized ways to do this? Gift guides. I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Gloria Chou, a PR expert who helps small, scrappy brands get seen, heard, and valued...
Categories: Marketing
Shifting Generations with Dana Connell – Part 2
Retail is changing fast and so are our customers. In Part 1 of this series, we dug into who the generations are and what really matters to them. In Part 2, I want to share what I’m actually doing to grow my next generation of high-value customers, what I call my “new thumbs.” I had...
Categories: Marketing
